Is Judo hard on the body? An honest look at its brutal nature

When it comes to martial arts, it’s no secret that Judo is one of the most popular and well-known. The Japanese martial art has been featured in the Olympic games for years and is also used in MMA. With the likes of Ronda Rousey using it to great effect, the art has dominated the world of martial arts for years.

However, with its great reputation comes another part of its identity. It’s also no secret that Judo can be hard on the body and is not for the faint-hearted. Unlike some traditional martial arts, Judo can be quite rough on the joints and at times brutal. Although it’s also incredibly fun, it is not an activity for the weak. Nonetheless, if you train smart and allow for a degree of pain then you can still train for years and really enjoy your training.

Why is Judo so hard on your body?

Firstly, Judo is literally based on throwing people. With this in mind, there are no shortcuts or easy ways to sugarcoat this. If you train Judo, you will literally get thrown around and land on the floor. Whilst the floor is softer than that of a street, it can still be tough. For example, a similar art in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu still causes aches and injuries. However, BJJ is more ground-focused. As BJJ brings injuries from the ground, you can only expect more injuries from Judo due to gravity. For instance, if you fall awkwardly on your arm with your opponent’s weight on top of you, then you can get badly injured.

Potentially, this could instantly result in broken bones. Perhaps more common injuries are chronic, long-term injuries. Even drilling throws can be tough on the body. If you drill a Harai Goshi repeatedly, then you each time you will be landing on your muscle and bones. Eventually, something will have to give. On the other hand, this is also good for conditioning which will eventually improve your chances of avoiding injury.

One way of countering this is drilling on a very soft, thick mat. Instead of doing it on a harder floor, you can use gymnast mats that are designed to soak up your throws. Ideally, all Judo gyms should have a small area that is based around these mats. Financially, they aren’t too expensive and can be incredibly effective in the long run. Imagine getting thrown on a wooden floor or a mattress. This example may sound extreme, but you get the point. If it’s your body we’re talking about then you need to look after it wherever possible. To counter these heavy falls, you may want to consider using something like a extra-thick Judo mat.

However, it isn’t just the literal nature of Judo that causes injuries, it’s also the mentality. Due to the point-scoring nature of Judo competition, it encourages aggression. This philosophy is great for competition and self-defense, but it can also come at a price. In short, the idea is to take down the opponent as quickly as possible with a combination of force and technique. Whilst this mimics a realistic situation very well, it also has some pitfalls.

One issue with this is that it can cause injury. For example, if you’re getting thrown with 10/10 force during randori then you’re more likely to get injured compared to going at half the intensity. This intensity is honest and pressure tested, but will also lead to injuries. A bigger issue with this style is those who are newer to the art. It may be ok to spar with intensity if you can breakfall properly and are in great shape. However, if your body movements are stiff and awkward without conditioning, you’re more likely to put yourself in danger. Because of this, typically newcomers are more likely to get injured compared to experienced Judokas.

How to avoid injuries in Judo…train smart

There’s a saying that training smart beats training hard and that is true. The idea of training smart is that you minimize the risk of injury by bypassing bad situations and minimizing them. Also, when injured you treat your body with the care and respect it needs. Whilst these methods may sound like common sense, surprisingly a lot of people neglect these easy principles.

The first point of training smart takes place in the dojo. One example of this could be picking smart training partners. As mentioned, sometimes you will spar 10/10 for intensity sometimes. This may be with a competition coming up or whether you simply want to test yourself. However, training like this full time will simply destroy your body and isn’t long-term. Instead, you should sometimes tone it down and chose softer partners.

This doesn’t mean watering down your training and it should still be good, honest randori. Having said that, there are times when the correct partner could be optimal for learning. Look at it this way, randori with an experienced, smaller Judoka will be a great way to learn. Oppositely, training against a crazy white belt who goes crazy could lead to injury. With this said, it’s ideal to pick your partners and train with longevity in mind. Of course, sometimes it’s good to mix things up and mimic a realistic fighting scenario.

Another method of training smart in the dojo is with your own actions. One of the first things to learn in Judo is breakfalling. This is the art of falling down safely when thrown. Sometimes people will breakfall badly without technique and post on their weight. Essentially, you are putting your body weight into your arm which can make it snap. This doesn’t happen with experienced Judoka who will have drilled breakfalls religiously, so when they are thrown they avoid injury. Similar skills are taught for avoiding neck injuries by improving your forward rolls and also knowing when to give up bad positions.

All too often, beginners will fight takedowns and get injured. If you’re in midair with your body controlled, the best thing to do is accept the throw and embrace it. By trying unnatural movements you may put yourself in a lot of danger. This is why it’s ideal to spar lightly when new because you don’t know how to defend yourself from injury as well.

Lastly on this topic is tapping early. Submissions are a key part of newaza. In short, if something hurts then tap early and tap often. Don’t try to be a hero and try and defend a juji gatame without knowledge. Leave your ego at the door and accept defeat. This is also a big reason why people get injured as they try adamantly to defend against locked-in submissions.

Outside of the gym, there are other ways to minimize injury. Let’s say you do injure your arm with an armlock. Ideally, this wouldn’t happen, but sometimes it can’t be helped. Instead of rushing back to train, make sure your body has fully healed. This may be boring for some who are itching to get back. However, if you want a long journey in Judo you will have to learn that injuries can take a while to heal. Imagine getting your ribs bruised by a tight kesa gatame.

This happens and rib injuries can be tricky and take long to heal. It’s important not to rush back and re-injure or further injure your ribs. The ideal way is to take adequate time off which may not be fun but it will mean your body has properly recovered. For proof of this, ask some of the older Judoka in your gym. Those with chronic injuries will often describe times of stupidly rushing back to the dojo before healing properly. Remember to respect your body and surgery should only be a last ditch option.

Another way to lessen injuries is by using the correct supplements and diet. Combined with a good sleeping pattern, you will improve your rate of recovery. Imagine a Judoka who eats junk food and drinks alcohol and barely sleeps. Now, imagine the same Judoka who eats a perfect diet with adequate sleep. Further, natural supplements such as curcumin and fish oils can help lessen inflammation and aid recovery. These are cheap, healthy, and safe so there’s no reason to avoid them. Similarly, getting high levels of protein is also optimal. As protein recovers muscle fibers, this is also essential.

Lastly, another method of training smart is by minimizing training. This is simple but relies on training less per week. You may find kids being able to do 5 lessons per week. This is because their bodies are younger and can heal quicker. However, this isn’t an option for older grapplers. Instead of trying to keep up, you should accept you may only be able to train twice a week for instance. This may not sound attractive but over the years is far more likely to keep your body intact.

Comparing Judo injuries to other martial arts

Compared to other martial arts, Judo can sometimes hold no punches. In comparison to the likes of Aikido or Japanese Ju Jitsu, it is far more physical but also far more real and effective. That said, it is no more rough compared to other grappling arts such as wrestling or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. One of the benefits of Judo is also that it lacks strikes. Obviously, striking-based martial arts have their own risks.

You may not break bones that much in boxing, but you can also expect more brain damage. Arguably this is the worst part of striking-based arts and is why some are reluctant to train them. Whilst boxing and the likes are effective and great fun, they can lead to concussions and CTE.

This differs from Judo which doesn’t really feature concussions or blows to the head. Whilst it’s possible you could get spiked on your head, this is very uncommon and would require bad luck. Remember, anything is possible in combat sports and this is the risk you take. But as mentioned, Judo is far safer compared to striking arts because of this. You may get a sore back or break a bone throughout your entire Judo career but you won’t get brain damage. Overall, it’s fair to say that Judo may cause injuries due to its harsh nature, but on the scale of martial arts, it’s safer compared to other fighting methods.

Judo may be rough on your body…but not for your internal body

As mentioned by now, training Judo is no picnic. Judo will undoubtedly put years on your body and you can only await this. For those worried about this prospect, there is some good news. The good news about Judo is that it will improve your cardio. This is often an argument made in favor of martial arts. Even though they may damage your external body, internally they can do a lot of good.

For instance, some people may not have aches and pains yet have an unhealthy heart. This isn’t a worry for a Judoka who will have a healthy heart which is arguably a good trade-off for an injured body. This is especially true if your family has a history of heart disease, for example.

Another benefit of Judo is the mentality it brings. It’s no secret that martial arts improve your mental strength and endurance. Although this is a benefit on its own, it’s also more likely that a Judoka will eat healthily and look after their body in other ways. Again, this is a trade-off that you will have to consider. The point is, training Judo isn’t all bad news where your body is concerned.

Final Thoughts

Honestly speaking, Judo can be hard on the body. Having said this, a lot depends on the way you train and look after yourself. There’s also an element of luck involved and other factors such as your athleticism and age. However, let’s not lie…Judo can be pretty brutal at times which is arguably why it’s so popular and effective. Another way of putting it is that Judo is completely real. Unlike other arts, it doesn’t give a false sense of security and you know you’re training the real deal.

As a result, you could argue it’s a trade-off that in Judo you’re more likely to suffer injuries. Nonetheless, if you aren’t stupid then you can severely minimize these injuries and lengthen your training significantly. Not only this but compared to many other arts, Judo is still fairly ‘safe’ in the big scheme of things.

In conclusion, Judo is a fantastic martial art. However, be under no false pretenses, Judo will be rough on your body. It’s better to accept this idea and either decide against training or to embrace this and train Judo regardless and cleverly plot your way around the injuries which will naturally occur over time.